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Pastel Painting in the Autumn
with Liz Haywood-Sullivan

Sponsored by the

Vermont Pastel Society

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PASTEL PAINTING THE AUTUMN - Workshop #1

October 10, 11, 12, 2025

9:00 – 4 pm (1 hour for lunch)

 

FINDING YOUR BEST PAINTING - Workshop #2

October 14, 15, 16, 2025

9:00 – 4:00 pm (1 hour for lunch)

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  • Limit Class Size: 14

  • Fee:  $450 Member $500 Non-Member. 

  • Fee for Both Workshops:  $850 Members $950 Non-Member - members have first priority

  • Skill Level: Advanced beginner through Advanced

  • Scholarships: two scholarships are now available in the amount of $200 each for qualified current VPS members who have been in the Society for at least a year or more.  Application and information can be found on the VPS website.

  • Sign Up: LindaMaryMasten@gmail.com If you are one of the 14 people signed up, you will need to send a 50% deposit within 10 days to hold your seat.  You can mail your check made payable to Vermont Pastel Society to Linda Masten at 497 Fox Hill Road, Bennington, VT.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  WORKSHOP #1

Pastel Painting the Autumn Landscape – studio

This three-day workshop celebrates the colorful Autumn landscape of Vermont. In this intensive workshop with internationally acclaimed artist, instructor, and author Liz Haywood- Sullivan, we will explore the intricate color of changing leaves, how to create colorful reflections in water, and other autumn observations. This is a studio workshop with some direct observation exercises (but is not a plein air workshop.) Topics we will cover include the construction of trees, foliage through the seasons, depicting colorful reflections, using underpainting to assist the development of your painting, principles of aerial perspective, observing and painting correct values, plus much more. Each day will start with a demonstration and there will be plenty of daily individual instruction at your easel. 

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COURSE DESCRIPTION: WORKSHOP #2 

Finding Your Best Painting – studio

A deeper dive into how to select images to paint. We begin with the intent behind what you chose to paint, and taking better reference images. This three-day workshop spends time practicing cropping and compositional choices. We use studies to determine value patterns, and color choices for underpainting. Bring your questions and curiosity. Demonstrations and group critique daily, along with individualized instruction at your easel. 
 

2025 RECOMMENDED MATERIALS LIST

Liz Haywood-Sullivan Workshops

 

PASTELS

Review the workshop topic description and be sure to have relevant colors in your palette. Neutral grays and neutralized colors will be important for distance, sky and water scenes.

  • Bring your pastels of choice - a minimum of 150 pastels with a good range of colors and values.

  • Please clean pastels and remove wrappings so you can see colors, and easily use your pastels.

  • If you break them in half you can double the colors you bring. Most pastels will break cleanly.

  • Bring a range of soft, medium and harder pastels. At least hard and soft. Soft alone isn’t good.

  • I highly recommend a single pastel box to contain your pastels, versus bringing them in several different containers. I recommend the Heilman Box www.heilmandesigns.com. This makes for better portability.

  • If you do not have a good selection of neutrals then I suggest you purchase one of the following: Liz Haywood-Sullivan Girault Neutrals 50 piece set, or Girault 25 piece Grays Set, or Unison Grays 1-18

 

PAPER and BACKING BOARD

  • Paper should be cut between approx 8x10 to 12x16.

  • Bring light colored sanded paper (white or beige ) so it can be underpainted. I recommend UART, Lux Archival, Art Spectrum, or Canson Touch for their ability to handle an alcohol underpainting.

  • If your paper is not mounted to a board then be sure to bring a backing board to support your paper..

 

Additional Supplies

  • Portable easel

  • Please bring a good sketchbook and drawing utensils*. This is an important component of my workshops.

  • isopropyl alcohol **

  • Tape - no colored painters tape. Black, beige or white only.

  • Glassine - to protect your paintings during transport when finished.

  • Towel - to place under your easel, softens the blow of dropped pastels.

  • Sealed container to hold underpainting alcohol

  • Viewfinder

  • Brushes - for underpainting, synthetic brushes, no natural bristle (flats in 1/2”, 3/4”, 1”sizes recommended)

  • camera, phone or tablet for taking pictures (don’t forget charging cords)

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A Few Notes:

  • Rochester Art Supply has produced a kit for me with all the materials I recommend (and personally use.) $84 ($128 value) Go to: https://www.fineartstore.com/p-13769-liz-haywood-sullivan-sketching-kit.aspx

  • **You cannot carry any solvents, including isopropyl alcohol, on a plane. For my workshops, I recommend using isopropyl alcohol for underpainting since it dries fast and is easy to locate in pharmacies.

  • Finding the materials that work best for you is a process of experimentation, and is individual to each artist. Taking a workshop is the perfect time to try something new. Use this list as a guide, not exact requirements, for your material selections. Questions? Contact me: liz@haywood-sullivan.com

 

Bio

Liz Haywood-Sullivan, PSA-MP, IAPS/EP, AIS, has been dedicated to working exclusively in the pastel medium since 1996. Her attraction to the medium is pastel's unique ability to capture light and atmosphere in the landscape. She is a sought-after instructor and judge for pastel societies and arts organizations around the world. Liz authored the popular book Painting Brilliant Skies and Water in Pastel (Northlight, 2013). Her award-winning pastel paintings have been featured in numerous books and magazine articles, and have appeared in national, international and museum exhibitions worldwide. Liz is a President Emerita of the International Association of Pastel Societies (2013-2017) and is the current president of the North River Arts Society in Massachusetts. Her work is represented by Vose Galleries of Boston. 

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CANCELLATION POLICY:

To reserve a space 50% deposit is required.  Full payment is due 60 days prior to the workshop.  No refunds will be given within 60 days of the workshop unless we are able to fill your space.  Once a workshop is wait-listed full payment is required no matter of the date.   Cancellation requests must be in writing.

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